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Firbolgs
Firbolgs are among the very rarest, and the very oldest of the races in Maíandir. When elves came to the Argent Basin, firbolgs had already lived there for hundreds of years, hibernating in small isolated communities hidden deep in the Everglades. Peaceful to their core, they had little quarrel with the elves, and kept mostly to themselves even as the holdings of the Elven Empire sprung up around them. As long as their precious forests remain intact, they are content. Description Firbolgs love nothing more than a peaceful day spent among the trees of an old forest. They see forests as sacred places, representing the heart of the world and monuments to the durability of life. Tall and gangly, with soft placid features and calm soothing voices, they live their lives amongst the trees and wildlife, coexisting as peacefully as they can with nature. However, despite their peaceful nature, firbolgs can be quite formidable if provoked. They possess a strong affinity with arcane magic, and a small group in every tribe is trained from birth in weaponry and martial skills. Firbolgs understand that nature is harsh and can be brutal, and they do not hesitate to protect themselves as long as the balance is maintained. Culture & Society In their role as caretakers, firbolgs live off the land while striving to remain in balance with nature. Their methods reflect common sense and remarkable resourcefulness. During a bountiful summer, they store away excess nuts, fruit, and berries. When winter arrives, they scatter everything they can spare to ensure the animals of the wood survive until springtime. In a firbolg's eyes, there is no greater fault than greed. The firbolgs believe that the world remains healthiest when each creature takes only what it needs. Material goods, especially precious gems and gold, have little appeal to them. Firbolgs have a talent for druidic magic. Their cultural reverence for nature, combined with their strong and insightful minds, makes learning such magic an instinctive part of their development. Almost every firbolg learns a few spells, typically those used to mask their presence, and many go on to master nature magic. Firbolgs who become druids serve as tribal leaders, a task that is passed on between generations. With every action the tribe takes, the druids weigh not only the group's needs, but the effect each action will have on the forest and the rest of the natural world. Firbolg tribes would rather go hungry than strain the land during a famine. History The Old World When the dreadborn emerged and the War of Ashes began, the firbolgs were pulled unwillingly into combat. Desperate for help, the elves had approached each of their neighbouring races for aid, and understanding the threat to their homes, the firbolgs joined, if reluctantly, the Northern Alliance. Their presence in army camps, while infrequent, was always of great comfort to the allied troops, and over the years through which the war persisted many came to regard the firbolgs as close friends, a sentiment that would linger even after the end of the fighting. Having successfully defeated the demonic legions, the firbolgs returned to their forest homes, and nowadays live mostly in the lands around the Brackenrush. They trade with the elves on occasion, but otherwise rarely emerge into civilised lands. As such, their existence has been reduced to folklore and half-forgotten stories. On the rare occasions that they venture out of their forest, they are hard to miss, but most common folk threat them with curiosity rather than mistrust. Firbolgs return the favour by typically trusting most everyone equally. Despite their long lifespans, their tales seldom have space for stories of the great war, and for this reason their knowledge of the dreadborn has diminished greatly, and most are unaware of their existence. Likewise, they have a tendency to be unaware of much of the ongoing history of the continent, and will try to find out as much as they can if the opportunity arises. Properties * Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 2, and your Strength score increases by 1. * Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. * Firbolg Masic. You can cast detect magic and disguise self with this trait, using Wisdom as your spell casting ability for them. Once you cast either spell, you can't cast it again with this trait until you finish a short or long rest. When you use this version of disguise self, you can seem up to 3 feet shorter than normal, allowing you to more easily blend in with humans and elves. * Hidden Step. As a bonus action, you can magically tum invisible until the start of your next turn or until you attack, make a damage roll, or force someone to make a saving throw. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest. * Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. * Speech of Beast and Leaf. You have the ability to communicate in a limited manner with beasts and plants. They can understand the meaning of your words, though you have no special ability to understand them in return. You have advantage on all Charisma checks you make to influence them. Category:Races Category:History Category:Culture & Society __FORCETOC__